Rep. Ed Soliday: Indiana will "instantly start having a crisis" without RTA Tax

[rambone]

State Representative Ed Soliday warns that Indiana will "instantly start having a crisis" if we don't approve the expansion of passenger railways and create appointed committees and raise taxes.

So, you guys gonna vote against this behemoth or what? VOTE NO TO EXPANDING THE RTA!!

Lake County: Vote during the May 2010 primary elections.
Porter County: Vote any time now until November 3, 2009.
Laporte County: Vote during the May 2010 primary elections.
St. Joseph County: Vote on November 3, 2009.

Officials baffled by RTA referendum

The concept of creating a regional transportation district will face a long road well after November's referendum in Porter County.

Only Porter and St. Joseph counties, two out of the four regional counties that state law prescribes to hold the vote, are prepare to do so.

The special election will cost Porter County $121,000. In St. Joseph, officials estimate $30,000.

Officials from Lake and LaPorte counties both rejected funding the voter registration offices and election boards. Instead, the counties hope to have the question next year when elections are already slated. That saves the counties more than $414,000.

The state law, which was inserted in the budget bill before it passed in the 11th hour of the session, requires each of the four counties to fund the special election on Nov. 3.

"(The law) is straightforward that this is a requirement that's in the budget bill and the provision is just as binding as all the other parts of the law," said Jim Gavin, a spokesman for the Indiana Secretary of State Office.
But the law doesn't specify penalties.

Residents, officials and even some lawmakers have wondered whether the public question holds any real practical significance or potential legal consequences.

"It probably means very little with only two out of the four participating," said state Rep. Ed Soliday, R-Valparaiso.

If the two counties put the question on May's ballot, "I don't even know what it would mean," Soliday said.

Although he wasn't involved in pushing what he calls the "convoluted referendum item in the budget bill," it's a measure to lay the groundwork for the future of mass transportation in the region.

"It's about creating an efficient management system," he said. "We are growing rapidly and if we don't start dealing with this we'll instantly start having a crisis."

The law needs "adjustments," Soliday said. "And we're prepared to do that."

The regional district, which will have taxing authority, is formed when at least two counties approve. It fails if two vote against it.

Porter and St. Joseph counties decided to foot the expenses, albeit reluctantly.

If the referendum passes, state lawmakers will have "some heavy lifting to do" to amend and clarify vague provisions, Soliday said.

And if it fails, he worries "mass transportation of Northwest Indiana will be pushing at the end of the rope."

The referendum asks Porter County voters if they favor the creation of the Northern Indiana Regional Transportation District "to provide a regional rail system serving Lake, Porter, LaPorte and St. Joseph counties and a regional bus public transportation system serving Lake and Porter counties with Porter County becoming a member district."

Kathy Kozuszek, Porter County Voter Registration co-director, said some residents have called confused about the ballot question. Some mixed up the referendum's Regional Transportation District for the Regional Development Authority, a body that already exists. One person thought the referendum asks only about bus and rail transportation for Porter County, Kozuszek said.

"I just refer them back to the question," she said.

Meanwhile, some Porter County taxpayers wonder what their vote is worth if the other two counties might be given the opportunity to hold the elections next May, spared the additional election costs.

"Why is their vote stronger than ours?" said Faith Jones of Valparaiso. "What makes them more important? We're all equal. It's discriminatory."

Bonnie Kuzminski, who's lived in Porter County for 30 years, is dismayed with how the referendum mandate has played out and criticized state leaders for "treating us like kids."

"Treat the citizens like adults and respect us," she said. "Respect our intelligence."

Jones, who doesn't favor the new regional district, plans to go to the polls.

"We might as well," she said. "We've spent a hundred thousand dollars on it."

And what if the state Legislature decides to create the four-county transportation district next session, regardless of the voting outcome?

"People's vote don't count in the first place? Is this a trick?" Jones said.

Soliday said it's "highly unlikely" that such a proposal would come up from either party next session.

"It's an election year," he said.

[femurphy77]

Typical politics, if the politicians feel it isn't going their way then immediately start predicting doomsday scenarios. Bring on the zombies!!!!!

[ocsdor]

Originally Posted by femurphy77

Typical politics, if the politicians feel it isn't going their way then immediately start predicting doomsday scenarios. Bring on the zombies!!!!!

YouTube - family guy no new tax

[Boilers]

One thing I would like to see is super fast bullet trains across the USA and eventually if we could stabilize latin america, all the way down to Tierra Del Fuego.

I would love to be able to hop on a 300 mph train.

[jeremy]

Originally Posted by Boilers

One thing I would like to see is super fast bullet trains across the USA and eventually if we could stabilize latin america, all the way down to Tierra Del Fuego.

I would love to be able to hop on a 300 mph train.

Wanna ride a 300 MPH train go to Europe, China, or Japan then...

[jeremy]

The US used to have a rail system that makes the one across Europe pale looking. It was call the Inter-Urban, and pretty much connected town together. The politico's of the 50's and 60's decided that it was to expensive to maintain... Now we want to try it again... How many people know what the definition to assinine is...

[Boilers]

no

[spartan933]

I wouldn't mind a bullet train to Mexico, because I am afraid of flying.

I moved to Lake County last year from Valpo. And, I am voting against the Regional Tax Raping. Why? Because, I plan to move back to Valpo within a year or two and I don't want to see Porter County lose its appeal due to association with Lake County. This place is so corrupt it's crazy.

If Porter County keeps being over-developed in the name of "Oh, we can make it an even better place to live, if we keep doing blah blah, and blah", it will lose the appeal that it has now.

Lower taxes, relatively nice and clean landscape, friendlier neighborhoods, less crime, great schools, etc.

Make no mistake, this Regional Tax Raping is about helping Lake County, not Porter, La Porte, or St. Joseph. Lake County Government has destroyed itself and wants to take everyone else down with it.

[rambone]

Bullet Trains ain't cheap. Get out your wallets.

Cross-country passenger rails have fallen by the wayside in the presence of our highway grid and our extensive airline options. Trains can only go where the tracks are. Planes and cars go virtually anywhere, and will get you there faster. Passenger trains served their purpose, but would no longer be an appealing or economical option to consumers. They seem to work reasonably well in large cities, but that is if you ignore their large financial burdens on taxpayers.

What the train debate boils down to is Private Sector vs Public Sector. Business or Government. If a business wants to privately build a passenger train system, that's fine, but they are very expensive and ticket prices will be quite high if they are meeting their costs. There are very few privately owned passenger railways because they are generally a failed business model.

I also don't want the Government to build a train that I never see or use. The cheap ticket prices are not nearly enough to cover the costs incurred by operating the train. So a heavy burden is left to the tax payers.

Either way, this is a very expensive endeavor that will not pay for itself.

I can't afford any more taxes. My boss can't afford any more either. The RTA is a money-pit.

[OneBadV8]

Originally Posted by rambone

but that is if you ignore their large financial burdens on taxpayers.

If Rails were subsidized like roads are they would be cheap. That being said, if Roads weren't subsidized taxes on gas and car registrations would be through the roof.

I think Trains would be a good alternative to transportation but if they are going to do it they should try to make it reasonable in every aspect. I'm not a fan of higher taxes so if they can reallocate funds to subsidize tracks, go for it.